We Accepted a Referral!!

Big, big, BIG news on our adoption -- we have accepted a referral!!!!

Yes, we are very excited. Yes, we think she is beautiful. Yes, we are moving forward as quickly as possible.

That's pretty much all we can say at this point.

We have a picture, which I will be very happy to show you in person (but cannot post here). As I've shared previously, we knew we would be adopting a child with disabilities, and were totally prepared for that. Her disabilities are rather minor, and will not affect her long-term.

She falls in the age range of 0 to 3. It will most likely be a year until we get to bring her home, but of course we are praying to expedite the process.

Her name will be Marella Hope Grace Thompson. Marella in memory of my mother, Mary Ellen. Hope because when we first announced our adoption intentions to our choir family, our friend Jenn prayed that God would fill her room with hope, and that word resonated in our hearts. Grace because I love everything that word represents.

So now we have lots more paperwork to fill out, and a lot more steps to walk and hoops to jump through as we work in tandem with India to make her officially a part of our family.

Meanwhile, we look at her picture all the time. Reagan points to her and proudly says, "That's my sister," and promises to teach her to walk and to share his chocolate with her if she's sad. Meanwhile, I cry a lot. I look at her picture and cry. I talk about her and cry. Someone asks how things are going and my eyes fill with tears.

It's part overwhelming, unrestrained love for a daughter I have never met, part wanting desperately to be the one holding her, caring for her and comforting her, and part just a deep, deep ache for our family to be complete.

We can share more once we get final approval from India. Meanwhile, things could still go wrong. There is a lot hanging in a balance that is out of our hands. I debated sharing this with anyone until we got one more official word. But I firmly believe she is our daughter. From the moment I laid eyes on her I felt like she was mine.

Asia has the largest amount of orphans in the world, with an estimated 60 million orphans. 60 million children without a home. 60 million boys and girls without anyone to call Mom and Dad. Soon, God willing, there will be one less.

Stay tuned.

To help us bring her home, click here, and in the bottom right-hand corner, put 'Johnny and Gayle Thompson' in the space for Designated Family. Checks can be made payable to AWAA, and sent to America World Adoption Association, Attn: Accounting Dept., 6723 Whittier Ave., Suite 202, McLean, VA 22101, along with a form that can be found here. Checks must be designated for the Eternal Family Fund. Or, you can donate to our GoFundMe page.